Tokyo Olympics 2021: Kyle Chalmers wins silver in the 100m freestyle final

Aussie Kyle Chalmers v American Caeleb Dressel. It’s the swimming rivalry that has been brewing since Chalmers won gold in Rio. In Tokyo the tables turned.

They line up like they’re on the grid at Bathurst.

Kyle Chalmers has the growling countenance and chiselled chassis of a Ford Mustang GT.

The Olympic 100m freestyle has gone beyond a debate about who’s the better swimmer … Chalmers and American Caeleb Dressel have been carrying on like it’s a race to determine the better man.

They’ve indulged in their one-upmanship for years.

If Dressel gets a new tattoo, so does Chalmers. If Dressel decides to climb Mt Fuji, Chalmers will likely scale Everest.

They’ve been striding around Tokyo Aquatics Centre like they own the joint, exuding replica square-shouldered, barrel-chested, V8-engine, get-out-of-my way auras. Only one of them can actually own the joint and in less than a minute, we’ll discover who it is.

Australia has started the day with four potential swimming gold medallists. Quaddies never get up, eh?

Zac Stubblety-Cook makes a double-barrelled name for himself by winning the 200m breaststroke. He says something interesting: “You can only be an underdog once, right?”

It’s sort of true, and sort of not true at all. Chalmers is the defending Olympic champion, but Dressel has won the last two world titles, and so Chalmers is the underdog all over again.

Kyle Chalmers reacts after claiming silver in the 100m freestyle final. Picture: Alex Coppel

As always, he will swim with his eyes closed, only opening them when it’s time to peruse the scoreboard for his finishing position. Chalmers struts out and puts his water bottle in the wrong box. He’s put it behind lane six, realises his mistake, moved along to lane seven. He’s thumping his chest as Dressel walks out. Chalmers is the first with a foot on the blocks.

Impatient.

Dressel starts 6/100ths of a second faster than Chalmers. The American vessel gets to the wall 6/100ths of a second ahead. The American sits on a lane rope and points both index fingers as high as they will go. Acting the better swimmer, and man. Owning the joint.

His teammates in the stands do their chant. USA! USA!

Chalmers is rueful. He half-grins, shakes his head. He’s matched his personal best and yet it hasn’t been enough. The dethroning of King Kyle.

“It’s probably a bit bittersweet, to be honest,” Chalmers says. “You know, to get second is amazing, to back it up after gold in Rio, and the five-year journey, it’s been really challenging. So to get silver is special but to be so close, it does hit home a little bit. To stand up and go and equal best personal time, in an Olympic final, when it counts the most, with all the pressure and expectation on me, it’s special.”

Chalmers has been through shoulder surgeries, ankle troubles, neck and back problems. There’s been the significant matter of no less than three heart surgeries. He’s been brisk with the media while devoting all his thoughts and energies into his relay races and the 100m final in Tokyo but afterwards, there’s been nothing but good sportsmanship.

Caeleb Dressel celebrates winning. Picture: AFP

A different Chalmers has been on display. He’s spoken well, and at length, commending Dressel for his win. Gracious in defeat. He hasn’t been the man of the moment, but he’s acted like a very good bloke.

Dressel is a 24-year-old Floridian getting his name on an honour roll that dates back to America’s Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weismuller a century ago. His Olympic record of 47.02sec has edged Chalmers’ 47.08sec. Russia’s Kliment Koleshnikov is third in 47.44sec but phew, it’s been a blinding race in two.

“It’s a special rivalry with him,” Chalmers says. “I felt pretty strong and comfortable going out. I gave everything I possibly could. There’s nothing I could have done better. To be half a second faster than I was in Rio, and a personal best, there’s not many people at the Olympic Games who do a dual best time. To be one of those is nice. He (Dressel) gets the big one this time. I got him in Rio. Let’s hope it goes round three in Paris.”

CHALMERS LOOKS BACK ON TOUGH PREPARATION

Australia’s sprint star Kyle Chalmers was within a fingernail of victory, but was just outclassed by the American world champion Caeleb Dressel in the Tokyo Olympic 100m freestyle.

In the battle of the big boys, Chalmers stormed home in his usual fashion after turning at the wall the first lap in third place, but was agonisingly short by just six-hundredths of a second. Dressel’s winning time of 47.02s was an Olympic record. Chalmers time of 47.08s was half a second quicker than what he won the Olympic final in Rio five years ago and despite undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this year.

The Russian youngster Kliment Kolesnikov, 21, who followed his Russian hero Alexander Popov by switching from the backstroke to the freestyle, was third.

Not unexpectedly Dressel had nailed the start, and once again had perfect technique at the turn, and he held off Chalmers’ determined efforts.

Kyle Chalmers shows off his silver medal. Picture: Getty Images

“It’s probably a bit bittersweet to be honest. You know to get second is amazing, to back it up after gold in Rio, and the five year journey it’s been it’s been really challenging so to get silver special but to be so close, it does hit home a little bit,” Chalmers said.

“I had shoulder surgery seven months ago. Like I was saying out there I’ve had 12 cortisone injections in my left shoulder just to get to this point, I’ve had PRP twice.

“I’ve had the shoulder surgery. And that’s just on that left shoulder alone I’ve had ankle problems. I’ve had three facet joint epidurals in my back, I’ve had cortisone in my right shoulder. I’ve had three heart surgeries, and that’s just the physical side of thing.”

Chalmers said he was thrilled to be back at the Olympics after a tough lead up.

“It’s half a second faster than I was in Rio. You know, if it went ahead last year, I wouldn’t have been here swimming. To be back swimming, back swimming fast, shoulder’s feeling good,” Chalmers said.

“You know, I qualified in lane 7. It’s kinda a bit more challenging being on the outside, I have to swim my own race from start to finish and be breathing the other way on the way home. But I left everything in the pool. I gave everything I could.

Kyle Chalmers’ grandparents Malcolm and Julie Bagnell at their Port Lincoln home. Picture: Supplied by family

“But you know, to win gold in 2016, come back and win silver, you know, it is great.

“I did everything in my absolute power to win. Obviously, life’s not always about winning but it is nice, and I executed the race well, and I felt strong and felt good.

“It was a big day yesterday. Big day to unwind from and then back up again this morning, but like I said, I left absolutely everything in the pool, and did everything I could to do it for my country.

“I watched back the memories from 2016 this morning just to kind of inspire me and watched my grandpa getting quite emotional in Rio, and that gave me the lift I needed to get up this morning.

“I’m grateful for the support and I know that I may be the person standing behind the blocks doing the race, but everyone is in my corner, my coaches, all my support staff, my family, my friends, the friends that have been there since day one and these real friends, I’m forever grateful for.

“That video for me in 2016 was something so special. I watch it regularly. But I’m so grateful to have their support and backing.”